Danish meatballs

Danish meatballs are known all over the world, and for many decades meatballs has been the Danish National dish.

They are eaten for lunch on rye bread with pickled red cabbage or with a potato salad. At dinner time Danish meatballs are usually served with potato salad or with boiled potatoes, a sauce and sweet and sour vegetables like pickled beetroot or gherkins. They are perfect for a picnic or buffet and children love them.

Danes have been eaten meatballs, or Frikadeller in Danish, for many hundreds of years. Denmark being an agricultural country with lots of pigs, we Danes have always been fond of pork meat.

Traditionally, Danish meatballs are made of minced pork but can be found with a bit of veal or beef as well.

Every family has got their own version of meatballs and there are thousands of recipes. This recipe is quite basic but you can vary it any way you like. You can add a bit of bread crumbs, oatmeal or fresh herbs.

The correct size of a meatball is always up for discussion. Some want them really large, others prefer them quite small. I like mine to be the size of an egg or a bit smaller.

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Ingredients

1 kg minced pork meat, 7-10% fat

8 g salt

Half a teaspoon of pepper

2 onions, finely diced or shredded

1 egg, beaten

20 g flour

200 ml milk

Butter or oil for frying

Nutrition Info

Instructions

Mix the minced meat with salt and stir vigorously for about one minute or until the mixture is becoming firm and a bit tough. Many people forget that part but it is important since it helps hold the meatballs together.

Add pepper, onion, egg and flour and stir well. Finally add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl and store in the fridge for about an hour.

Heat a pan on medium heat and add the butter. Shape the meatballs one by one by using a tablespoon and your hand. Take the amount of meat equivalent to a filled tablespoon and form a ball with your hand and the spoon. You may want to dip the spoon in water or the melted butter before shaping the ball. It makes the job easier. Fill the pan with meatballs. Do the cooking in batches if your pan is small.

When the meatballs start to crust on one side, turn them. You want a nice, golden brown colour. Keep turning them until they are brown all over and cooked in the middle. When done the meatballs should fill springy to the touch. Be careful not to overcook them or they will be become quite dry. If in doubt, cut a meatball in half and have a look/taste.

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